Wire-stretcher.



N0. a5|,292. Patented June 5, won.

m. L. sovcz.

WIRE STRETCHER.

(Application filed Jam, 30, 19 00.

(No Model.)

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m: mums PETERS c0, FHOTU-LITHO WASH|NGYOM n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE).

MICHAEL LOUIS BOYCE, OF CARROLL, IOl/VA.

WIRE-STRETCH ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 651,292, dated June 5, 1900.

Application filed January 30, 1900. Serial No. 3 ,331. N0 model-l T0 aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MICHAEL LOUIS BOYCE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Carroll, in the county of Carroll and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Wire- Stretcher, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in wire-stretchers.

One object of the present invention is to improve the construction of wire-stretchers and to provide a simple, inexpensive, and slidcient one designed for stretching fence-wires for stapling or otherwise securing them to a fence-post and adapted to be readily engaged with the latter and capable of stretching a wire to the desired tension and of holding the same while it is being fastened to the post.

A further object of the invention is to provide a wire-stretcher of this character capable of guiding and supporting the wire and of clamping the same to hold it under tension while the parts are being arranged for obtaining a fresh hold on the wire preparatory to another stretching operation.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter fully described,illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a wire-stretcher constructed in accordance with this invention, the clamping deviceof the frame being arranged to form a guide. Fig. 2 is an elevation, partly in section, the clamping device being arranged for engaging a fence-wire. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the clamp for gripping a fence-wire during the stretching operation. Fig. 4 is a detail View of the pawl. Fig. 5 is a detail view illustrating the manner of connecting the parts of the main or supporting frame and showing the clamp thereof arranged to form a guide. Fig. 6 is a detail View of a portion of the hook, illustrating the manner of mountingthe guidepulley.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

1 designates a main frame composed of a hook 2 and a approximately inverted-U- shaped yoke or bearing 3, detachably mounted on the end of the shank of the hook 2 and adapted to be reversed to change the position of the ratchet mechanism of a drum or wind ter is provided at its inner face with opposite parallel lugs or enlargements 6, forming a socket or recess to receive the adjacent por-f tion of the shank or bar of the hook and adapted to prevent the yoke or bearing from rotating on thestem 5. The stem 5 has its outer end threaded for the reception of a nut, which detachably retains the yoke thereon and permits the same to be reversed.

The depending arms or sides of the yoke or bearing 3 are provided with bearing-openings 7 for the reception of a transverse shaft 8, extending through the drum .4 and forming journals for the same and suitably fixed thereto. The ends of the shaft are extended beyond the sides of the yoke or hearing and are squared for the reception of a crank-handle 9, which is adapted to be arranged at either side of the wire-stretcher. The drum, which may be constructed in any suitable manner, is provided at its ends with flanges to retain the rope or cable 10 on it, and it is provided at one end with a ratchet 11. The ratchet 11 consists of an annular series of ratchet teeth, preferably formed integral with the drum and engaged by a pivoted pawl 12, mounted on the inner face of one of the sides of the yoke or bearing. The pawl is provided at one end with an outwardlyoffset handle portion 13, forming a shoulder 14, which is adapted to engage the face of the side or arm of the yoke or bearing to limit the upward movement of the engaging end of the pawl.

One end of the rope or cable is suitably connected with the drum, and its other end is attached to a clamp 14, adapted to grip and hold the fence-wire 15* during the operation of stretching the same. The cable or rope extends rearward from the drum and passes beneath and is returned over a guidepulley 15. By arranging the guide-pulley in this manner the clamp may be drawn beyond the Windlass or drum, if desired. The guidepulley 15, which is provided with a grooved periphery, is arranged at the curved laterallyextending portion of the hook, which is provided with a tapering enlargement 16, extending rearward from the hook and having a longitudinal side face 17, arranged parallel with the planes of the longitudinal side faces of the shank or bar of the hook and located between the same, the side face of the projection 16 being offset from the outer side face of the shank or bar to provide a recess for the reception of the guide-pulley. The enlargement or projection 16 is provided with a socket for the reception of a bolt or pin 18, upon which the guide-pulley is mounted.

The clamp 14 consists of a block 19 and a lever 20, fnlcrnmed at one side of the block on a projecting flange 21 and having a serrated cam-head which cooperates with a serrated face 22 of the block. The inner or rear portion of the block is provided with a transverse opening 23, and it has a central longitudinal opening 24, extending from the transverse opening 23, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawings. The openings are adapted to receive the outer end of the rope or cable, which may be readily attaclied to the block by passing it through the said openings and knottin g or otherwise forming a stop of its outer end.

In Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings the clamp 14 is arranged close to the frame 1 for convenience of illustration, and in practice the clamp may be located a considerable distance in advance of the said frame. In order to support the wire and hold the same in position at a fence-post, the'wire-stretcher is provided with a shouldered lug 25 and a lever 26. The lug 25, which is recessed at its upper face to form the shoulder 27, extends upward from the top of the yoke or bearing 3 at one side of the center thereof, and the lever is fulcrumed at the opposite side of the center of the same. The lever26 is provided at one end with a cam-head 28, and it has an arm 29 at its other end, which arm forms a handle when the lever is arranged, as shown in Fig. 2, to cooperate with the stud for gripping a fence-wire. When the lever is arranged as illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the arm, which is provided with a concave lower face, arches over the space between the lug and the body portion of the lever and abuts against the shoulder 27, forming a guide for the wire. Should it become necessary to clamp the wire to hold the same while the table or rope is being run out to obtain a fresh hold on the said wire, the lever is swung around from the position shown in Fig. 1 to that illustrated in Fig. 2. This brings the serrated cam-face of the lever conteeth, so that the rope or cable 10 may be extended from it in either direction for stretchin g wires. Furthermore, it will be clear that the combined clamp and guide may be readily adjusted to form a guide for the fencewire and for clamping the same.

Changes in the form, proportion, size, and the minor details of construction within the scope of the appended claims may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

WVhat is claimed is-- 1. A wire-stretcher provided with a combined clamp and guide composed of a lug or projection, and a pivoted lever provided at one end with a head or engaging portion to cooperate with the lug or projection to clamp the wire, said leverbeingprovided atits other end with an arm adapted to extend to the lug or projection when the lever is reversed and forming a guide-opening, substantially as described.

2. A wire-stretcher provided with a combined guide and clamp composed of a shouldered lug, and a pivoted lever having an engaging head at one end and provided with an arm located at its other end and arranged above the plane of the bottom of the lever and adapted to fit against the shoulder of the lug to confine a wire in the space between the said lug and the body portion of the lever, substantially as described.

3. A wire-stretcher comprising a frame composed of a hook, and a reversible bearing or yoke, a Windlass mounted in the bearing or yoke and adapted to receive a rope or cable, a pawl and ratchet for locking the Windlass against retrograde rotation, and a guide-pulley mounted on the hook and adapted to receive the rope or cable, substantially as and for the purpose described.

t. A wire-stretcher com prising a frame cont posed of a hook provided at its engaging portion with a projection offset from the outer side of the shank of the hook to form a recess, and a reversible bearing or yoke, a Windlass mounted in the bearing or yoke and adapted to receive a rope or cable, a pawl and ratchet for locking the Windlass against retrograde rotation, and a guide-pulley located in the recess and supported by the said projection, substantially as described.

5; A wire-stretcher comprising a hook, a reversible yoke arranged at the outer end of the shank of the hook, a guide-pulley ar- In testimony that I claim the foregoing as ranged at the engaging end of the hook, a my ownI have hereto affixed my signature in 10 Windlass mounted in tle 01m, a flexible oonthe presence of two witnesses.

nection Wound aroun t e Windlass and ari T ranged on the guide-pulley and provided with MKHAEL LOUIS B01 means for engaging a fence-Wire, and the Witnesses:

combined clamp and guide carried by the J. P. HOLLAND,

yoke, substantially as described. PHILIP V. LENZ. 

